Rather than try the latest gadget or jump into the trendiest social network, I am someone who has to wait and see. Perhaps it is my “midwestern literalness,”( an oh-so descriptive term coined by author Richard Ford in The Sportswriter), but in the same way, I still think … Read on >
Two very interesting resources crossed my path recently, so I wanted to share them with you.
1) Barbara Olsen wrote a great article on exploring women’s brand relationships for the Women’s Voices for Change blog (a blog worth knowing about - as well). In it she … Read on >
The building industry has a lot in common with the other more typically male-dominated industries out there: They’ve got a lot of potential to better serve women, but they get stuck on stereotypes and assumptions AND neglect all the opportunities for using stories…
CA Builder magazine just published my … Read on >
How many of you have seen the new ad campaign for Blackberry (Ask Someone Why They Love Their Blackberry) - either in a business magazine or online - within … Read on >
The financial services industry has been male-dominated and focused since the beginning of time (or, whenever it officially became an industry), and that is becoming a bit of an issue as the number of women with high net worth increases. They are not so easily sold with:
"Let me take care … Read on >
Those of you who have heard me speak, or who have been reading my blog for a while, might be a little sick of me going on and on about customer advisory boards. Such a gathering of female customers sounds hard to organize or at least, to make successful. … Read on >
I know. You are all sick of hearing how wonderful Apple is, but bear with me. Randall Stross wrote a great piece (reg. required) in yesterday’s New York … Read on >
One of the keys to transparent marketing* is to "be authentic," and it is something that businesses seem to have a lot of trouble grasping. It may be because traditionally, … Read on >
It would have been hard to miss all the media attention this past few weeks on Elizabeth Edwards’ recurring cancer and her husband’s plan to continue with his presidential campaign. While you may or may not have read all of yesterday’s New York Times article on the couple by … Read on >
Leadership and the Sexes: Using Gender Science to Create Success in Business
by Barbara Annis
"The future of corporate success (especially with women occupying 50 percent of the workplace) lies in women and men both becoming gender intelligent in negotiations." This book is HR/leadership-focused, but there are significant implications for marketing team effectiveness and the understanding of today's consumers.
Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men
by Michael Kimmel
Kimmel offers incredible insights on how young men view their own masculinity (and why). The way men think, in general, will be key to the broader gender trend conversation of the 21st century - with some major marketing implications (if you ask me).
The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World -- And How to Reach Them (BK Business)
by Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen
Social change driven by women - how much more hopeful about our world could you get? This book is well-written, and its nonprofit advice also applies, for the most part, to corporate marketing.
Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow
by Chip Conley
I'm a big psychology buff, so this application of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to the business realm fascinated (and resonated) with me. As Conley mentions, psychology in business has long been about "fixing it," but that won't necessarily "offer the opportunity for transformation to a more optimal state of being or productivity." Everyone can learn from this discussion.
The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women and the Real Gender Gap
by Susan Pinker
A fascinating examination of how sex differences play out over the life span. One interesting quote: "For most women it's less a question of who's able to win. It's whether competing feels good and is worth the cost."
